Page 8 July 2012
www.thesoutherncross.org.au
The
Southern Cross | news
Father Joseph Petraitis' journey as
a priest has crossed four continents
-- from war-torn Europe to Australia,
via the United States and South
America.
Not bad credentials for a migrant
chaplain. Little wonder Fr Petraitis
feels so at home here in Adelaide
where he has spent the past 28
years as the Lithuanian migrant
chaplain.
"I am a refugee myself and I enjoy
serving the migrant community,"
says the Lithuanian-born priest
who last month celebrated the 60th
anniversary of his ordination and
who turns 90 this month.
The much-loved Father Petraitis
says he was only eight and a
"shepherd boy" when he first felt
the strong desire to become a
priest.
The son of a Lithuanian farmer,
Fr Petraitis retells the story of his
Godmother taking him to Church
during the week to see if he could
make the seven-kilometre walk
there and back on a Sunday. He
succeeded and was allowed to
attend his first Sunday Mass: "I was
in heaven -- I had never heard the
organ play, I had never heard the
music -- and I fell in love with God,"
he says.
When the young Joseph told his
friend about his calling while they
were both tending their father's
flocks one day, his friend laughed
and his friend's father told Joseph's
father "if your son becomes a priest
then my son will become a bishop".
Joseph's schooling was halted in
1936 because his father had no
money and for two years he plotted
to walk to a Cappachin monastery
100kms away. Fortunately he was
able to resume his schooling and
by 1941 he had received sufficient
education to enter the seminary.
After one year he moved to a
different seminary in Lithuania but
before long he was forced to flee
with his mother, sister and two
brothers to a refugee camp in
northern Germany.
At the time most seminaries had
been closed due to the war but on
his third day at the camp a man
approached him because of his
collar and asked him if he was a
priest. He told him he was studying
to be a priest and so the man, who
he describes as "an angel", gave
him directions to a seminary that
was still open in Bavaria.
"He was a messenger of God...this
was a life-changing moment for
me," says Fr Joseph.
The family remained at the refugee
camp but later were transferred to
another camp in Germany run by
the Americans and were sponsored
by an aunty living in America to join
her in Brooklyn.
After studying philosophy and
German at the Bavarian seminary,
Fr Joseph and other Lithuanian
seminarians were sent to Italy to
complete their studies. It was here
that Fr Petraitis joined the Marian
Immaculate Conception order
and in 1945 he took his religious
vows and then joined his family in
America.
Fr Petraitis was ordained a priest
in Joliet, near Chicago, on May
22, 1952. He spent 11 years in
the US, including six as provincial
secretary, and in 1963 he was
sent to Argentina where he was an
assistant parish priest in Rosario,
in the province of Sante Fe, and
Province of Avellaneda, Buenos
Aires then parish priest for 17 years
in Arenlleda.
In July 1984 he was transferred
to Adelaide and for the past 28
years has been the Lithuanian
chaplain. During this time he also
spent seven years as the Spanish
migrant chaplain, having learnt the
language in Argentina. For 23 years
Fr Petraitis has also edited the
Lithuanian fortnightly bulletin.
He describes Australia as an
"earthy paradise" and a dry
continent which is "good for your
bones".
Sadly his mother and father were
never reunited after the war, his
father staying home to take care of
the farm. His brother John returned
to Lithuania where he still lives with
his six children but the rest of the
family have died.
Fr Petraitis has been devoted to
the Virgin Mary ever since he was a
child and his mother taught him the
Rosary prayer which he now says
in five languages -- one decade
in Lithuanian, the others in Latin,
German, Spanish and English.
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Southern Cross
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Priest without borders
LONG JOURNEY: Father Petraitis wearing an amber cross
presented to him by the Lithuanian community for the 60th
anniversary of his ordination.
Monsignor Robert Aitken and Father
Robin Sutherland will celebrate
their 60 years in the priesthood this
month.
The two priests were ordained by
Archbishop Matthew Beovich in
St Francis Xavier's Cathedral on
July 22 1952, along with Fr Terry
Holland and Fr Tony Boylan (both
deceased).
Fr Sutherland and Monsignor Aitken
will concelebrate their diamond
jubilee on Sunday July 22, 2012 in
the Cathedral at 2:30pm. Monsignor
Vincent Tiggeman celebrated his
60th anniversary last December
while Father George Nader last
month celebrated 50 years as a
priest.
Both Monsignor Aitken and
Fr Sutherland attended St Francis
Xavier Seminary -- Fr Robin entering
in 1942 and Monsignor Robert in
1943. Here they undertook their
high school studies, followed by
three years scholastic philosophy. In
1948, they moved to Corpus Christi
College, Werribee, for four years of
theology and allied subjects.
After ordination, Fr Sutherland
served in the parishes of
Walkerville, Kangaroo Island,
Birdwood, Clearview and Marion;
Monsignor Aitken was Vicar General
from 1980 to 1989 and served in
the parishes of Croydon, St Francis
Xavier's Cathedral and Dulwich/
Burnside.
Archbishop Philip Wilson said
both priests had given outstanding
service, especially in liturgy,
pastoral care and leadership, to the
people of the Archdiocese over their
60 years.
An open invitation to attend the
anniversary Mass is extended to all.
Priests are invited to concelebrate.
Light refreshments will be served
in the Cathedral Hall after the
Eucharist.
Clergy celebrate
anniversaries